I was working at a broadcast station in Minneapolis when Gorbachev came through town. The FBI did background checks on the entire crew just as a precaution. The secret service is there to protect dignitaries and our nation's leaders. I also engineered a show where the President was maybe/maybe not going to speak at. All kinds of requirements for the stage. Exits either side and back, 200 fottcandles evenly illuminated, etc. Don't know if all those things are still in place, but the FBI should still have my file.Pretty painless.

The secret service guys are pretty cool I think. Not exactly the kind of job pressure I would want. If they have a bad day....well you get the idea.

There's a quote from Hemmingway or some other writer saying something to the effect "rough men guard the towers at night so that the people can sleep safe in their beds."

The event that I worked on has now been declassified. This was an event for the 30th Anniversary of the NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists). Some of the high profile people that attended, covered and honored were Bill Clinton, Carole Simpson (ABC News), Max Robinson (ABC News), Reverend TD Jakes, and many other journalists/reporters that I was not really familiar with that work on various networks. Yesterday, Willie Nelson and Jesse Jackson were in the hotel lobby. I managed to get a production still of Clinton when I was doing handheld the first night. I was just 10 feet or so from him. What a week in the ATL!